In a significant development in transnational crime enforcement, U.S. authorities have unsealed indictments against three Florida residents for operating a sophisticated weapons smuggling network between Florida, the Dominican Republic, and Haitian border regions. The defendants—Francesca Charles (28), a U.S. citizen, and Haitian brothers Jacques Pierre (32) and Jeff Pierre (34)—face multiple federal charges including conspiracy to smuggle firearms and ammunition, illegal weapon transportation, and undeclared exports, carrying potential sentences of up to 20 years imprisonment.
The investigation, jointly conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), culminated from a major weapons interception in the Dominican Republic during February and March 2025. The seized arsenal included 30 rifles of various calibers, multiple 9mm pistols, a .50 caliber Barrett sniper rifle, 17 additional 7.62 caliber rifles, an Uzi submachine gun, and approximately 36,000 rounds of ammunition alongside numerous high-capacity magazines.
Evidence indicates the defendants acquired at least 46 firearms between May 2024 and February 2025 through a systematic operation involving large-scale weapons purchases in Florida, followed by coordinated shipments and personal travel to Haiti and the Dominican Republic to receive the illicit cargo. Their activities directly supplied Haitian gangs operating near the Belladère border region, exacerbating violence in the crisis-stricken nation.
This prosecution forms part of Operation ‘Take Back America,’ a broader U.S. initiative targeting transnational criminal organizations. The case highlights ongoing challenges in border security, particularly at Haiti’s land crossings where customs controls remain inadequate despite a March 2025 ban on foreign goods transit imposed by Haiti’s Ministry of Economy.
The Haitian National Police had previously apprehended the suspects in Cap-Haïtien in March 2025, shortly after the surrender of Guitho Sénat, the alleged primary recipient of the weapons shipment in Belladère.